Winter is an ideal time to prioritize and improve indoor air quality. During this season, windows and doors are often kept closed, which means indoor air can be stale and unhealthy. It’s crucial to ensure your indoor air is as clean as possible. HVAC maintenance and duct cleaning are good first steps, but the best way to accomplish truly fresh indoor air is by installing a whole-home air purifier.
Understanding a Whole-Home Air Purifier
A whole-home air purifier is a device integrated into your ventilation or heating system to help filter out airborne particles from the air passing through your HVAC system. They are often installed right after the inlet supply of the ventilation system or the return vents of the heating system.
Whole-home air purifiers are available in two basic types. This includes media and electronic air cleaners. Media air cleaners use filters with higher efficiency ratings than a heating system’s filters. They are placed in the return air duct between the air handler and the supply vent. As a result, they trap whatever passes through the heating system’s filters.
Electronic air cleaners are high-tech units that can positively charge particles in the air using an electrostatic precipitator. These particles are then attracted to the oppositely charged collector plates within the unit, like magnets.
Electronic air cleaners are very effective at capturing small particles such as smoke, some viruses and bacteria, and pollen. They can also be incorporated with ultraviolet light technology to enhance air purification by neutralizing pathogens further.
Choosing the Right Whole-Home Air Purifier for Winter
There are several factors that you need to keep in mind when shopping for a whole-house air purifier.
1. CADR Rating
CADR (clean air delivery rate) rating is an official and regulated way of measuring how effective an air purifier is at removing indoor pollutants. It specifies the amount of air an air filtration system can purify and deliver each minute. The higher the rating, the more efficient the filtration process is and the cleaner your indoor air will be.
Whole-home air purifier CADR rating is measured in cubic feet per minute (CPM). An ideal air cleaner should clean at least 2/3 of the air in a space per minute.
2. Filter Type
The filter type you choose should be determined by the type of pollutants in your home and the health needs of your household. HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters are the best at removing indoor air particulates. They can get rid of 99.97% of pollutants, including smoke, bacteria, some viruses, allergens, mold spores, car emissions, etc.
Pleated filters with carbon-activated filters are also great at capturing all indoor pollutants, including odor-causing particles and smoke. There are also pleated filters that are combined with other technologies like ultraviolet light and ionizers for a more comprehensive air cleaning.
3. Energy Efficiency
Your air filters will be used frequently during winter, so it’s ideal to choose a model that consumes the least amount of energy. A standard whole-house air purifier typically uses between 3 and 15 kWh of electricity per month when running continuously.
4. Added Helpful Features
If you have pets, consider air purifiers with a pre-filter to catch their fur and dander before they reach the finer HEPA, pleated, or carbon filters. Pre-filters can be vacuumed or washed and reused. This will save you from frequently replacing the more expensive whole-home air purifier filters.
There are also air purifiers with built-in air quality monitors that send real-time feedback on the state of your indoor air to your phone. This will give you valuable insights into the effectiveness of your system and help you adjust as needed to maintain optimal air quality.
5. Quiet Operation
For a conducive home environment, consider a whole-home air purifier with a low noise level. They generally range from 30 to 60 decibels. The lower the decibel level, the better.
Contact JJ Heating & Cooling Company for Help
Our experts at JJ Heating & Cooling Company can guide you in choosing the best whole-house air purifier in Gambrills, MD. We’ll assess your home’s specific air quality problems and needs and provide recommendations to ensure you get the best air quality possible. We can also provide other helpful services such as duct cleaning, chimney and liner insulation, and heating system maintenance.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
